Pages

Beerly Departed - Search The Crypt's Records

Friday, April 30, 2010

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
La Fin Du MondeUnibroue Inc.
80, Des Carrieres
Chambly, QuebecCanadaEst. 1992unibroue.com/products

Brain Damage Quotient = 9.0 % ABVFluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Light honey colored body with slight haze.
Whiffs of alcohol, some kind of fruit (pear), some clove and yeast.
Two fingered fluffy white head with good lacing and retention.Medium carbonation.Very slight alcohol taste as it warms, a bit of peppery taste. Full flavor, complex aromas.Grim Reaper's EulogyWhat's that on the label? Why it's the very northern provinces of Quebec (and Newfoundland) Canada. In other words, "The End of the World" as La Fin du Monde loosely translates.

Bottle refermented, this Tripel shows that great abbey style Belgian beer is much sought after, even in the furthest reaches of civilization. And for good reason. When you've got one chance to get it right, you have to go for it. And go for it they do, at Unibroue. This is so light and easy, while having the characteristics of true Belgian Tripels.

So, lucky for you and me, we do not have to go to the ends of the earth to get such luxurious ale. It's just north of the border in lovely Canada and a good thing to have on hand at The End of the World.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Where to Dig Up More About This BeerHurricane Reef Caribbean Style PilsenerThe Florida Beer Company
725 Silver Palm Avenue
Melbourne, FLUSAEst. 1994www.floridabeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.7 % ABVFluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew ReviewPale yellow color.Smell of sweetness. Mostly grainy malt with slight hops aroma.
Less than a one finger white head that dissipated rapidly.
Medium carbonation. Small nucleated bubbles, some clinging in groups to the side of the glass.Light bodied and flavor; slightly tart, dry finish.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Another "Original Beer of the Conch Republic." I have noticed that this beer touts the branding name and style over the company name, Florida Beer. Just an observation.

Not too remarkable, not terrible either. It makes a great sub for any B-M-C product. And since it's a local company, we will help to support the cause by occasionally using it a a 'go-to' beer.

Deep ruby color with cloudiness.
Sweet esters of plum and banana and clove aromas.
Two fingered caramel head that lasts . Frothy head. Great lacing.

Complex fruit, yeast, with sweet taste of malt and brown sugars.A bit more malty than yeasty.
Medium bodied with full flavor. Alcohol bite is slightly detectable.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Another hit from Cooperstown. Ommegang Abbey Ale reaffirms my joy over Belgian style ales. This Dubbel is more like a home run. I know, another droll pun...

Though they are thousands of miles from the Trappist Monks of Belgium, their ales are crafted in the same careful traditions. We can dispense with the rumor that only good Belgian style beer comes from Belgium. This one can hold its own in that arena. Just quash that idea the next time it comes up in discussion. Ommegang is one serious brewer, making some seriously good ale.

Postmortem Brew ReviewGolden, light yellow slightly translucent in color.Citrus and spicy, peppery smells intermingle with distinct yeast notes. Frothy white head that leaves wonderful strings and spots of lace.The taste hints of apples along with a defined presence of citrus and coriander.Dry finish with splash of hops. Carbonation is high but not overpowering.Light in body. Complex in flavor and aromas.

Grim Reaper's EulogyCarefully pour and reserve a bit in the bottom of the bottle as you serve this delicious saison. The yeast is plentiful and distinctly present in smell taste and sight. This is a wonderful ale to share with two or three friends due to the size of the bottle and the alcohol by volume. I have noticed that days after finishing, the inside bottle glass still retains some of the yeast residue, clinging to the inside from top to bottom. Daymn!

Another fine example of Belgian style ale produced here in the USA. Lucky me. I was able to meet Bob Sylvester, the brewer and owner of Saint Somewhere at a local Florida craft beer event. He poured me a fine taster of this lovely stuff. He told me that they call on volunteers to help out on the bottling days. Hmmm... Sounds like a road trip to the brewery is in order.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Samuel Adams - Summer Ale
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USAEst.1985www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.2 % ABVFluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy golden yellow color.Mostly the smell of lemon and some Grains of Paradise pepper.Some wheaty notes and light citrus scents. A bit of hops character in the aroma.
One finger white head that's gone in less than a minute.Foam leaves behind little lacing.Lemon and peppery taste as in the aroma. Light and refreshing mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's EulogyWe took a consensus of several persons at our seating after sampling. We had on tap as well as in the bottle. "Lemon Pepper chicken of beer" said one. "Mushy lemonade" offered another. "Meh!" was the general attitude, though none panned it outright and all finished their draw.

I will add this. The hotter the day and the colder the serving, would be my recommendation for refreshment. Guess that's what makes a good summer ale.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Where to Dig Up More About This BeerAbita Andy Gator
Abita Brewing Company, LLCAbita Springs, LA USAEst. 1986www.abita.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.0 % ABVFluid Oz. = 12.0 (On Tap)

Postmortem Brew Review
Near clear golden color, surprising for a Doppelbock.A bit of malt sweetness and floral hops smell.Minimal head that rapidly disappears.
Scant cover of head. Two and a half finger head, off white color.
A good amount of small ring lacing clings to the glass.Minimal carbonation.Light mouthfeel, smooth.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Not what I was expecting in a Doppelbock, however it was a tasty little pint. And 8% ABV to boot. It's easy to sip this beer and relax a bit with it as the high ABV will catch up to you. But that aside, it is no 'croc' and will give you no bite. The alcohol is not present in the taste or aftertaste.

Why dontcha' roll into your favorite watering hole and pull one of these from the swamp. Before you know it, you'll be up to your neck in 'gators.

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Jai Alai IPA
Cigar City Brewing Company3924 West Spruce Street
Tampa, FL USAEst.2008www.cigarcitybeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 7.5 % ABVFluid Oz. = 12.0 (On Tap)

Postmortem Brew Review
Copper color body.
Smell of pine and citrus in the aroma.
Off white minimal head that settles to a cover.
Lacing leaves rings on the glass all the way down.
Hoppy heat at end of each sip.
Nice amount of carbonation.
The taste of malt sweetness and hops are in balance with hops leading.
Medium bodied mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's EulogyI just have to make the trip up to Tampa and see first hand where this wonderful stuff comes from. Every Cigar City brew thus far has amazed and pleasantly entertained the palate. Great balance abounds everywhere in the flavors. The taste you get is dictated by adhering to the style. And they all seem to hit the marks so far; "dead on" one might say. Okay, I said it.

I like a good hop infused IPA. And oh there are great hops in there...smoldering like a fine cigar. The hops scintillate your taste buds allowing for a quite enjoyable session.

Cigar City mostly brews for the keg and the bomber with growler refills at the brewery. Good news me hearties...they are now available to those lucky enough as us in FL, in 12 oz. bottles. When did I start talking like a pirate? Must be Gasparilla.

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep reddish brown; mahogany color.Yeast and fruity tones; almost a tartness to the smell.It leaves a small head all the way down the glass.Minimal coating of spotty lacing clings to the sides.Fruity and deep complex taste. Some nuttiness at the end.Full mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Although it's a crude thought, the delicious quality of this 'brown' is making me say "Badonkadonk" instead of Corsendonk. Drive on down to the store and put some of this "junk" in your trunk. No hate mail, please. It is intended as a high compliment. Just have a look at some of those definitions and you'll get my drift.

In a tulip gl---ass, you get the curves. The juicy taste makes you want more. Awwww....forget it! Try some and see if you aren't mesmerized by this curvaceous, luscious, sweaty beauty. She'll make your head spin.

Where to Dig Up More About This BeerBrooklyn Local 1Brooklyn Brewery
#1 Brewers Row79 North 11th StreetBrooklyn , NY USAEst. 1988www.brooklynbrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 9.0 % ABVFluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew ReviewCloudy golden yellow pour.
Fruity like banana and peach with honey aromas prevail.
Rich soapy head about two and a half fingers high.Super delicate lace spotting up and down the glass.The head bubbles are small and tightly packed like champagne.Carbonation is medium. Little presence of alcohol. Medium bodied mouth feel; complex fruit, yeast and spice tartness.

Grim Reaper's EulogyAs with all of Brooklyn's beers thus far, The Reaper has been particularly impressed by the mad skills of their brewmaster, Garrett Oliver. The man makes some amazing beer.

There are meticulous details like the logo imprint on the bottle cork and the wire basket. The bottle is worthy of a fine champagne, even better that it contains this brew. Its heavy, thick walls and have raised lettering displaying the Brooklyn logo and name. The 'punt' in the bottom gives you a great place to grab with the thumb when swirling out the last bit of nectar from this Belgian Strong Pale Ale. German hops, raw cane sugars and a fantastic yeast strain are in the brew. Top it off with the fact that it's refermented in the bottle, and you get an out of the body experience to savor.

I shared this delectable embalming fluid at a local haunt with a few of my ghoulish friends. Sinfully deliciousl...muahhahaahaaahaahaaaa!

UPDATE: 9/17/2010 - Lucky me! Garrett graciously posed for a snapshot while pouring some of Brooklyn's finest at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival.

Grim Reaper's EulogyOriginally, I enjoyed this on tap. I enjoyed it so much, I forgot to snap a photo of the tap handle. Never fear. I will review no brew before its time. Uh, umm, that's a wine quote! Moving on...

This was worth the wait for a friend to deliver an empty vessel, from which the camera snapped its last remains. The end result was a memorable and fully complex porter. Another friend and I sat and marveled about the rich texture and the wonderfully complex malt character of this beverage. Though a porter, the Stone crew still manage to pack 55 IBU's of hops on board. Don't worry if you're not a hops fan. They add character and will not detract from the porter experience.

Whatever lengths you have to go to, what ever the cost, search this one out. Outstanding porter!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Where to Dig Up More About This BeerAyinger Celebrator DoppelbockPrivatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KGBrauereei Aying AyingGermanyEst. 1878http://en.ayinger-bier.de

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.7 % ABVFluid Oz. = 11.2

Postmortem Brew ReviewSolid brown cola color with slight ruby edges.
Rich sweet malty aromas with hint of toffee.
Rich creamy head about two and a half fingers high.Coated lacing leaves spots down the glass.The bubbles in the head are small and tight.Carbonation is abundant.Creamy and sweet malt taste that leaves a pleasant thickness on the tongue.Medium bodied mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Just 8km off the Autobahn, at München-Salzburg exit “Hofoldinger Forst”, is the town of Aying. It's just half an hour from the Bavarian capital of München. I mention this because there is no speed limit on the Autobahn, so you can go as fast as hell to get there. Pardon my language.

And you might want to get there in a hurry to sample this beer. But hold on a minute. It's exported to the US-of-A so, no hurries and no worries. Slow down, put the Porsche back in the garage and sally on down to your local spot to get some of the greatest Doppelbock on earth.

But if you do find yourself in Germany and only have enough Euro's for a great beer and not a Porsche, take the train. The brewery happens to be just 300 meters from the train station. What luck! Staying the night? How about the “Brauereigasthof Hotel Aying” for accommodations? It too is a stone's throw away. The Brauerei will even pick up hotel guests if you call in advance.

So about this brew? It is sweet, malty and delicious. It even comes with a Celebrator goat charm around each bottle neck. It's kinda like the Cracker-Jack® of beer!

Monday, April 19, 2010

Where to Dig Up More About This BeerSierra Nevada PorterSierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, CA USAEst. 1980www.sierranevada.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.6 % ABVFluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew ReviewDark brown color.Roasty malt aromas with scant aromas of hops.
Good two finger head frothy tan head that coats the glass.Good head and lace retention.Subtle sweet malty taste; just a bit of hops.Medium carbonation.
Medium bodied mouth feel. Very smooth and balanced.

Grim Reaper's EulogyAgain and again, Sierra Nevada impresses. The Porter isn't a knockout, but it is perfectly characteristic of what a good porter can be. This has a creamy head that is silky smooth along with a rich roasty nearly full bodied flavor.

Postmortem Brew ReviewDark brown to black with ruby tones on edges.
Toasted malt barley and citrus hops nose.Tan almost mocha colored, one finger, foamy head.
Minimal lace on the glass and head dies to a wisp..
Tastes of a great porter meeting a great IPA, at the same time. Medium to full flavor body with good carbonation.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Where to Dig Up More About This BeerSierra Nevada Glissade (2010)Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, CA USAEst. 1980www.sierranevada.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.4 % ABVFluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew ReviewGolden yellow color.Spicy and floral hops aromas with slight aromas of malt..
Slight one finger head that drapes the glass.Subtle sweet malty taste; just the right zip of hops.Lightly carbonated.
Medium bodied mouth feel. Very smooth and balanced.

Grim Reaper's EulogyA bit more hops (46 IBU's) than malt is found in this "Winter" beer. Punchy and zingy hops that taste great. The maltiness is subdued, but oh it's in there, for sure.

What a great way to end the Winter's blues and welcome Spring. This 'Golden Bock' has been chillin out far too long in the crypt cooler. I felt it high time to enjoy this beauty. You'll be lucky to find some of this seasonal Maibock to enjoy.

Grim Reaper's EulogyPale Ales abound and some stand out more than others. This one unfortunately does not. It is worthy of a session, and is enjoyable enough, just not particularly amazing. One thing that does stand out though is half the hops are East Kent Golden hops. That puts it in the English Pale Ale category instead of American.

It's good enough for a try. I know Matt's/Saranac makes other fine brews. We will review more later.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Sea Dog's Raspberry Wheat Ale is the best of their fruit flavored beers to date. It has a little less carbonation than the others and is listed as an ale rather than a beer. The raspberry flavors taste slightly artificial. The ale is also a bit watery, but the fruit taste of raspberries are abundant.

To its credit, it is light and refreshing. And at 4.5% ABV it goes down easy and doesn't leave you feeling weighed down.

Grim Reaper's EulogyVery good for a fruity change of pace over other hefe's. This is light and easy to session. Nothing more, or less to add other than this would be great on hot days as a refreshing substitute for a wine cooler or cider. Since it's a beer, that makes it all the more special.

Very little lacing noticed.
Higher than average amount of carbonation.
Light bodied; watery.

Grim Reaper's EulogySomebody call a cop, 'cause I've just been robbed by a fireman! This brew was a bit thin, even watery, (no pun intended.) The neck label mentions that for every barrel Hook and Ladder sells, they will make a donation to a local burn foundation. That is very noble of them.

I will not let the paucity of one bad experience color my thoughts. So just to be sure, in the future I will try some of their other brews to make sure I didn't get 'burned' by this one bottle of beer.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Where to Dig Up More About This BeerRogue Brutal BitterRogue Ales
2320 OSU Drive
Newport, ORUSAEst.1988www.rogue.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.2 % ABVFluid Oz. = 22.0

Postmortem Brew ReviewCloudy almost murky orange color.Grain, yeast and a bang of hops on the nose with some citrus smell.Frothy off-white head with good retention.
Moderate carbonation.Hoppy and bittering finish.
Medium bodied, hoppy flavor.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy"Hedonistic!" Those aren't my words. Believe it or not they are on the label of this over the top hop. Self gratifying? Indeed. This bitter style has a mere 59 IBU's but tastes like more than that much. It doesn't hit your palate until the third or fourth sip, but then it's there 'til the bottom of the glass. And at 22 oz. for the bottle, that's a long time to endure.

I get it, though. I like my hops too, but this one about did me in. Oh, it was enjoyable, however be aware that it does live up to the name, "Brutal Bitter". Every drop of it.

Are you up to the test? Gird your loins and go for it. After all, "...a person whose life is devoted to the pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification" is the very definition of 'hedonism'. I'd say there's also an element of masochism involved here too. You got a problem with that?

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Very pleasant take on a pale ale from our 50th state. I rather enjoyed the fruitiness found near the end of each sip. It was nearly indistinguishable, but the fruit tones were definitely there.

The hops were also present but not burning, as one would expect in a pale ale. That too, was very refreshing. This is not so much a, "...you've gotta' try this, it's great..." beer as much as it is a, "...you've gotta' try this it's really pretty good..." beer. Know what I mean?

Postmortem Brew ReviewReddish orange; amber like in color.Pine hops aromas with touch of citrus smells.Huge three finger head, off white in color that leaves rings of lace.Big but not heavy hops taste. No tongue burnout.You can taste the malt too. Very smooth and balanced.Subtle carbonation.Light to medium bodied mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's EulogyI'm a B - I - G fan of IPA's and the number 13. It was a cinch that this was gonna be good. I just can't say enough how dumbfounded this brewer makes me. When I sit down at the keyboard my bony fingers poke for the right superlatives...my brain explodes looking for the right summation of words. I am usually breathless; utterly speechless, as the cursor blinks on the blank page. It's mocking me, I know it is. And also mocking my wordsmithing skills. Meh!

Anyway, the Wet Hop Ale is done with a batch of very fresh hops added at the end of the boil to bring all that gooey piney resin out of the humulus lupulus. Thank goodness this is in a 24 ounce bottle so you and a close friend can enjoy it. Can't wait for another release. Do it Sierra Nevada.

Grim Reaper's EulogyHere is all you need to know about this beer, if nothing else...they are the "World's Oldest Brewery." But don't stop there. It proves the age old axiom that "...practice makes perfect."

This Brauhaus has been at it since before the German Purity law of 1516. How long? The Weihenstephener (easier to say after sampling several of their brews) Brauerei has been practicing since 1040 ! That is remarkable. So how's the beer you say? Well, their dedication to craft delivers a crisp, light and delicious beer like no other. You can read more about it on their website, in the language of your choice. This beer is enjoyed the world over. You should enjoy it too.